25 whole years and I still can't dance

To say that things have been interesting lately would be an understatement. I don't want to get too personal so I won't, but I will say that I have made some awesome friends down here and have met some really cool people. I've forced myself to put myself out there and talk to people and make friends. So far I've got a pretty high success rate. Plus I always tell myself that I don't ever have to see this person again if I don't want to, I'll just avoid this bar, venue, cafe or whatever. I have used this trick several times and I've found myself not feeling bored or lonely as of late. Romantically lonely, yes, but that's another can of worms entirely. I've been in my apartment for a whole week as of today and overall it's pretty rad. I love the freedom of putting my stuff anywhere I want to, walking around in my underwear and singing aloud any time I want. It doesn't quite feel like home yet but that will take some time no doubt, ha by the time it happens I'll be ready to move somewhere else. For now I'm enjoying how quiet it's been around here and the fact that my balcony has a view of a cluster of trees that are changing colors daily. I love the fall, though it's a little different down here. It's still getting up to the high 70s and I'm not as pale as I would be this time of year in Michigan, that's a feat in itself.
Sooo, this week involved minimal work (due to Fall Break) and a whole lot of hanging out in and outside of work. On wednesday we randomly ended up at this bar in Rivergate where the people watching was prime. As soon as we got there some guy wanted to beat up another guy for pulling out his cock...? I didn't get all the details but I think it involved some miscommunication and homophobia. Maybe there was a glory hole involved, one could only imagine. Some old guy told a balding 40's something guy that were both sitting next to me at the bar to not take me home because I looked to be trouble.....I wasn't aware that conversations like that were supposed to be overheard by the girl in question... I also didn't know that I had any intention of taking the balding man home with me...huh. It still has me wondering what part of my actions led the old man to believe I was interested, maybe I said the 'F word' one too many times and thats a big turn on for him or what. Or it was the fact that I took no interest in his conversation about Roger's City, Michigan. Oh well. Friday night involved some margaritas and spontaneity, something of a quarter life crisis. Saturday I finally got to watch UFC at BDubs and then it was 'Hey let's go to some dive biker bar and people watch' Oddly not even my idea. Glad I did because I met two (TWO!) people who liked good music and didn't treat me like a leper. I'm moving up in the world. Had a little too much to drink and said some questionable things. Oops.
This week I'll be counting the hours until Friday when I get to see my best friends!! I can't wait! Maybe before then there will be more hang outs with new friends....we shall see. Oh yeah, Happy Birthday to me.

handicapper's paradise

I'm currently updating from the cafe due to the lack of internet connection I'll be experiencing until between the hours of 5 and 7pm tomorrow. Comcast better make it quick. This could mean one of two things, I've recently moved into my own glorious aparmtment or I've been kidnapped and have been forced to set up an internet connection in a remote location for my kidnappers so they can still update their facebook statuses and email my parents for ransom. I'll leave that open to debate.
On a totally related note my parents came to visit the (erhmm) great state of Tennessee to be totally awesome and kick some furnishing and moving ass. My Dad is insistent on never listening to me and doing whatever the fuck he wants, damn those stubborn people, but typically I benefit fully from this because his actions are usually generous and helpful. Translation: he buys me things for my apartment after I've repeatedly told him no. I'm hard-pressed to do everything on my own without the help of other because quite frankly it makes me feel like an adult. I like that sense of accomplisment I get when I drain my bank account and purchase furniture for my apartment. I guess it's very adult of me to constantly be broke as well. Oops. My Mom was quite impressed with my taste in furniture and carpentry skills with the coffee table. She took it upon herself to congratulate herself on my good taste. I let her have it ignoring the fact that she collects ceramic birds. I fear that one day I'll be there myself, which was agreed upon by my sister.
Basically I spent the last week working and preparing to move and doing the necessary things that come along with that. I came across some more southern hospitality with the dude from Comcast. For the long wait on the telephone he locked in my cheap rate for internet and waived any installation fee. While we were waiting on his slow computer and talked about breeding pitbulls and going back to school. I listened patiently and humored him with my sarcasm, so I got a deal. Either that or he enjoyed my sexy, nasally voice and thought that I was a part time phone sex operator. It's an easy assumption to make. hah.
I also presented in class with my group and am relieved to be finished with that however I am now avoiding a paper that's due in 4 days. Oops.
I'm thinking about buying stock in target considering the large amount of cash I've dropped there over the last few weeks on stuff for my apartment, holy crap Super Target is amazing. I'm going to live there if I ever get evicted for not paying rent. I mean housing me is the least they can do considering the percentage of my pay check that goes to them.
After moving all day yesterday and visiting Target twice I was tired and really wanted to go chill with friends but couldn't muster the energy. Instead I finished unpacking and hung out with Jill and ate sushi. While doing so my friends decided to harass me for not coming out via text message. My favorite was 'Shannon you're a pussy and a five dollar hooker-Love Paul and Jason.' There were some random numbers and punctuation in there which leads me to believe they were already hammered at 10pm. The kids are on Fall Break so I imagine there will be some hang outs mid-week due to the lack of work we'll be doing. I'll get my revenge.
I hung some paintings and picture this morning including a framed picture colored by my best friend. She does amazing things with those crayola crayons and the evidence now resides on a wall in my bathroom, which is HUGE by the way. I think in constructing the apartment they intended for a differently-abled person (perhaps in a wheelchair) to use the pisser. My Mom said I could fit a treadmill in there (thanks Mom) and my sister suggested a cot. Instead I constructed a large storage rack with my bare hands and placed it in there. It was a win.
I think I'll like living on my own as long as I don't creep myself out with thoughts of intruders or abductions (human or alien) or talk to myself so frequently that I develop a second personality. (I would call her Sophia Danger and she would be the singer of a four piece prog rock band)
Next weekend will likely suck considering my birthday will be spent alone due to my sister working and friends being out of town. BUT the weekend after I will have visitors and it will be amazing. I just need to make sure I don't go into some kind of sugar induced coma on my birthday. One never knows what I'm capable left to my own devices on my birthday (number 25 at that).
I've been at the cafe for nearly four hours and the grooves of this chair are probably tattooed into my ass at this point so it's probably time to go. Until next time..

an empty box of IOUs

Currently I'm sitting on the front porch of Jill's house thoroughly enjoying the weather and waiting for some paint to dry. It's still in the 80's here and the leaves are beginning to change. The weather in one word: ama-za-zing. Ok that's not a real word but its fun to say. Today I've been productive enough to legitimize sitting on my ass for the rest of the day. Oil change, brakes checked, car washed, table clear-coated and part of my 50 page chapter read. It's just 3pm and I'm spent. The rest of the week was pretty similar but included some fun things too. Met with my group twice for our class presentation this coming Wednesday, they annoy me plain and simple. (I'm not going to be mean...I'm not going to be mean...) Bought a couch which was awesome and I'm back to broke, ha. Also bought a coffee table and a TV stand on which I will place the TV I'm getting for my birthday, no more tube tv's for me I've joined 2010. I bought the coffee table at a thrift store that was stocked with Jesus paraphernalia and very helpful people. The lady made a boy carry the table for me out to my car (it weighs max 15 pounds) just one more show of southern hospitality. It is true when people say that people are typically much more friendly and helpful in the South. There's a lot more small talk and 'hellos' 'hows your days' and 'baby's' the last one I hate. What people don't tell you is that the more friendly and hospitable people are that it makes it that much more likely you are going to get into conversations that you don't want to have, namely with a boy wearing a terrible mohawk and hawaiian shirt 3 minutes into the conversation disclosing he's been institutionalized twice and has severe clinical depression. Hey thanks for lurking over my shoulder while I'm wearing ear buds attempting to read and interrupting me so we can have a 45 minute conversation about your depression and why you enjoy time travel. Cafe Coco is frequented by interesting people some of which you DO NOT want to get into an accidental conversation with and feel creeped out for the rest of your time there. My sister says I'm too nice and should have told him to politely fuck off 5 minutes in, but I just can't do that and I don't know why, however it's something I need to work on. Other than that there was fantastic sushi with friends, Project Runway night, enjoying the weather, and overall good things happening. I'm psyched to move into my new place next weekend and can't wait to see my parents. Yes I said it. (shh! don't tell them)
I've always wondered how I've been so lucky with things and bad things happen to good people all the time....Better not press my luck I suppose.
Next week will be swell, after the presentation that is, because my kids will be starting Fall Break on Friday which means a week without class hooty hoo. I still have to work but the hours are really limited and it'll be a lot of online trainings and whatnot.
I'm too proud of myself for this stupid coffee table but I took before and after pictures. I sanded and painted and sealed. I think I'm not quite finished yet and was considering painting a small pattern on each corner to make it even more me. It will go nicely with my framed portrait of a stenciled raccoon playing in the weeds. AHAHAHA. oh man, my apartment will look like it was decorated by a special needs child. Pictures to come when I'm all done with it.

The gray paint has 'paint crystals' in it which are kind of hard to see due to the lack of sunlight on it. It makes me happy.

The one I met on that day you moved to town from michigan (union pool; Plushgun)

So it's officially October! Woot. I'm pretty sure this will be the best month of 2010. This week went about like a leaf in a windstorm quick and a little out of control. It started off pretty well aside from the loud popping sound emanating from my front end which started when I got back from Kentucky. It began worsening throughout the week and by thursday I knew it wasn't going to just go away like I had hoped. My car is a bit of a jerk and doesn't listen to me. I got a lovely phone call on friday morning describing the extent of douchey my car was being which meant ridiculously expensive repairs. The mechanic blamed it on Michigan roads and weather and being that he was from Michigan I was a little more apt to believe him. I was also more apt to believe him because I asked my Dad to call him to translate for me. My Dad is pretty fantastic. So by the end of work on Friday I was nearing a stint of homicide and binge drinking and I had prime targets for murder considering what work was like that day. I'm so very thankful for my coworkers and their ability to empathize and drink hah.
I'm really liking this recent weather and the fact that its already dropped to like 50 degrees during the day in Michigan. It's been in the 70's and cools down at night. Best time of year and Tennessee is so pretty in the fall. Today I especially got to enjoy the weather when I went to Centennial Park and the Parthenon.

There was some sort of festival going on that had ended just as I was getting there so it was pretty busy. The park is gorgeous, there is a ton of vegetation, a pond and lots of places to sit and relax. I wish I had found it sooner. Conveniently is right by Cafe Coco and my other favorite places to go. Except for Super Target which I am now obsessed with for good reason. It's amazing. Other parts of the week that were good: sushi and Project Runway, text messages, jokingly being told by my professor that she's going to steal me from my current job and having family members there to have my back with advice, car rides or a roof over my head. Also I bought a newspaper off of a homeless guy on the off ramp of an expressway.

I can't wait for visits from my friends, a possible road trip, fall break, my birthday and moving into my own place. On a related note I almost bought a lamp that had a carving of what looked to be Gorton's Fisherman as the base of it. I told myself that even though it would have been worth the $15 I had to be a responsible adult and not put ridiculous things in my apartment. The gawdy owl painting and the creepy girl picture will be more than enough. I'll also have squirrels on my shower curtain so it may have just pushed it over the edge of sanity. I'm a 24 year old child. It's going to be rough to admit that I'm 25 in a few weeks, yikes. GOAL for Shannon's 25th year: find some direction and focus less on pretending like she's a rockstar. (My kids at work tell me I dress like a rockstar and it's pretty clear they listen to rap)